Someone Permanent
by Kat R. Fair
Summary: Oishi works at a barrista, and doesn't really expect much, much less about a mysterious stranger to appear and mess with his life.


Of all the things Oishi had been expecting to see when he walked into the café for his evening shift, this appeared nowhere on his list. Oshitari leaning casually on the counter chatting to one of the other barristas as they mixed him a complicated drink that looked like it contained three shots of espresso was almost enough to knock Oishi off his feet. Oishi had thought that after what he and Oshitari had done he would never see Oshitari again. After all, the other man had not stepped into Oishi's coffee shop before the beginning of the week, and there was no reason to believe he would stop by after that, especially not if he was going to be faced by someone he had engaged in a one night stand with.

"Oishi!" The barrista mixing Oshitari's drink, and it looked like he had finished, called. "C'mon man, I have a hot date tonight and you're my relief." Slowly Oishi moved past Oshitari to get behind the counter.

"Oishi." Oshitari grabbed Oishi's shoulder, slowly turning him around. "I apologize for my behavior. I should have called, but my week has been hectic."

"That's alright Oshitari-san." Oishi brushed Oshitari's hand off and smiled as he picked up his apron. "I didn't expect to see you again."

It had started on Monday morning…

Oishi picked up the container of dirty dishes and walked them to the sink. The café was filled with a few people this morning, college students from the nearby university, a few housewives, and one or two salarymen. "Hottie at three o'clock." Oishi jumped, the glasses clinking as he set them in the sink.

"Chitose-san!" Oishi blushed, glancing in the direction Chitose had indicated. The man standing there was, indeed, a hottie. He looked like a young salaryman, or at least a working college student. He was probably around Oishi's age, which meant he was around his second year in college. The other's suit was well cut and flattering to his figure, but not flashy, and he was standing like a professional model who knows just what light flatters him best.

"You're totally staring." Chitose elbowed Oishi in the side, moving him out of the way of the sink. "Go get his order before Ran comes back from her break." At the mention of their cute (but scary) manager Oishi hastily cleaned his hands and moved over to the counter.

"Hello." Oishi managed a reassuring smile.

"Hi." The customer smiled back and Oishi felt his heart jump a bit. His other guy was wearing a pair of round glasses, and his spoke in a low tone of voice that sounded familiar to Oishi, but he just couldn't place him. "I'd like a medium café au lait, to go please."

"Right away." Oishi rang it up on the cash register and the taller man handed over a single bill. As Oishi made change he could feel the handsome man's eyes on him, making him feel warm and just a little squirmy. "Here's your change." Oishi glanced up as he spoke and found himself entranced by the stranger's eyes. They were…

"Thank you." His customer's fingertips brushed Oishi's wrist and the blood rushed to Oishi's head so fast he was surprised he didn't pass out. Dropping the other man's change into his hand Oishi closed the cash register and bolted to make the other's coffee.

"I think he's interested." Chitose murmured and Oishi nearly dumped the scalded milk all over himself.

"_Chitose-san_." Chitose snickered as he strolled over to the cash register to deal with a young female customer. From her outfit she was probably a high schooler skipping class, underage and definitely flirting with Chitose. Smothering his mothering instincts Oishi quickly mixed up his own customer's drink before heading back to him.

"Here you are sir."

The tall black haired man's smile was very flirtatious and Oishi found himself blushing again. Oishi had no problem with being 'out' though he had only admitted his homosexuality to his family and a few close friends, but he would never be so open about it in the middle of the day. "Thank you." The stranger's fingers brushed Oishi's as he took the cup and Oishi had no doubts that it had been deliberate. "Where are the lids?"

"O-oh!" Oishi blinked, then pointed at the small stand where lids, stirrers, and other paraphernalia were kept. "Right there, sir."

"Thank you, again." And after dropping a few coins into the tips cup he headed towards the stand.

"Definitely interested." Chitose's voice murmured into Oishi's red-hot ear and Oishi jumped, his heart thudding heavily in his chest.

"AAH!" The mocha Chitose had been holding was knocked out of his hand and all over Oishi's arm. "Ouch…" Oishi was glad the mocha hadn't been hot enough to seriously burn him, but it had been hot enough, and his hand was bruised from being hit by the glass as well as his shirt being ruined from the coffee and whipped cream.

"Are you okay?" Oishi glances up at the stranger. "I'm a doctor."

"I am fine" Is what Oishi starts to say, but Chitose cuts in before the Oishi gets beyond 'I'.

"You should probably look him over, Doc. Oishi here would pretend to be fine and work for the rest of the day with a broken finger." Oishi glares at his grinning fellow worker and makes a note to do something very un-Oishi like tomorrow.

"I'm sure he would." And then the doctor is taking his free hand, the one not dripping with melting whipped cream and sticky sweet coffee, and leads him to a table. "Now behave Oishi-san." The doctor takes Oishi's arm, wiping it off with a few napkins he had apparently secured while talking to Oishi.

"I think it's unfair," Oishi wonders about how he can still blush after all of this, "that you know my name and I don't know yours." The doctor's fingers are pressing along his hand now, and Oishi winces a bit as they press against his bruise.

"It's Oshitari Yuushi." The doctor glances up at Oishi over the rim of his glasses. "And Oishi-san, I know I'm being very forward, but I'd like to get very familiar with you, if you don't mind." And then Oshitari licked the tip of a finger before the whipped cream sliding down it could hit the floor.

"Th-th-th…" Oishi stammers, the blood roaring in his ears. Dimly he can hear Chitose laughing loudly and hopes it's because he's flirting with another customer. Oishi is never going to live this one down.

"Oishi-kun!" The voice is loud and the slamming of the café door, which isn't a door built to slam, honestly, cuts through conversation. Oishi turns his head slowly to stare at his manager, who has crossed the floor in three strides to stand by Oishi's side. "Oishi-kun what's wrong? Did you hurt yourself?" The 'again' is not said aloud, but her tone and look of displeasure says it all. Oishi has not had a large number of fumbles since he started this job, and they're rarely his fault, but Ran seems to find any setbacks to be a personal insult. "Come back to my office, you can have five minutes with an icepack."

Oishi sighs, prepared to apologize to Oshitari and spend the rest of the day in pain.

"Excuse me ma'am." Oshitari's low voice catches Ran's attention and Oishi's manager swings to look up into his eyes. "Are you the manager here? You look so young."

It's not necessarily a lie, Oishi thinks, not the kind that Chitose often gives the older women who are in need of a bit of flattering and tip well when treated to an extra dollop of cream. Ran is young, but her face is pinched, and her manner has the feel of someone who has been working in the service industry for years. It makes her seem far older then she actually is.

"Oh." Ran blinks at Oshitari, her hand fluttering onto her chest as if she feels the need to catch her breath, and then back to her side. "I'm sorry for my employee. Oishi-kun you shouldn't have bothered a customer with your injury." Ran bows shortly, perfunctorily, and like she's expecting to be told that Oshitari will never be visiting the café again.

"I'm afraid I was bothering him Ms. Manager." Fishing an elegant business card from his pocket Oshitari smirks. "Oshitari Yuushi, doctor. I think Oishi-san should take the rest of the day off and rest up, otherwise that injury will get worse and he'll be of no use to you tomorrow."

"Oshitari-san!" Oishi protests, he knows his body and his injury is not bad enough to warrant a day off.

"Of course." Ran snaps and turns to Oishi. "Oishi-kun, I'll call up Nakamasa to take your place. Remember to come back for opening tomorrow." Oishi gapes like a fish and catches Oshitari's wink over Ran's shoulder. Closing his mouth Oishi nods, pushing himself up from his chair and opening his mouth to thank his manager, but she has already stormed off towards her office.

"Come on Oishi-san. I'll walk with you to the subway station." Oshitari's hand on his arm is helpful, and sends those strange tingles up his spine, and Oishi deliberately ignores Chitose mouthing 'good luck' at him.

"Really, I can manage on my own." Oishi is glad he was given time to hang up his apron before Oshitari steered him out of the café. "Oshitari-san you know as well as I do that my injury isn't that bad, you're a…" Oishi stops, and thinks, and Oshitari continues to lead him towards the subway.

"You're a very _young_ doctor." Oishi carefully continues. Something is making him twitch, something that he can't quite grasp but was floating on the edge of Oishi's train of thought.

"If you'd like the truth…" Oshitari bends down and murmurs into Oishi's ear, "I'm not a doctor yet." His breath is warm and just a little wet and Oishi is willing to bet dollars to donuts that Oshitari just licked his ear.

"Ah. Ah. Well. You shouldn't lie about those things!" Oishi scoots away from Oshitari, wriggling his arm free from the other's hold. He still follows along as Oshitari leads him through the crowd though and Oishi can't figure out quite why.

"It's not lying, I'm just jumping ahead a few years." The subway train beeps loudly and Oshitari pulls Oishi quickly through the turnstiles and the crowd, Oishi apologizes frantically, to get Oishi on that train.

"….this isn't my train." Oishi blinks, glancing around the inside of the train. It's not his usual train, and certainly not his usual route, studying the mess of colored lines on the train map Oishi tries to figure out just where he's going.

"Of course not. I haven't finished my examination of you yet." And that; that was definitely a tongue in his ear.

The train ride didn't take long, though it seemed like forever with Oshitari's keeping up his casual, but far too intimate, touches and misleadingly flirtatious conversation. Oishi couldn't tell left from right as he was led out the train and up the subway's stairs to get to the street.

"You live around here?" Oishi glanced around at the posh high-rises and the well-dressed people. Well, of course Oshitari would live around a place that looked so expensive, Oshitari himself looked expensive.

"My family owns a flat." Oshitari grasped Oishi by the hand as he waded through the crowd. Oishi felt battered by briefcases and his head was swimming from an overdose of various expensive perfumes. "They've kindly allowed me run of it while I attend school."

The lobby, Oishi noted, was done in silver and matte black, with a matching receptionist who smiled politely at Oshitari and gave Oishi a suspicious once over. Dressed in his work clothes Oishi felt severely underdressed as the mirrored elevator doors closed. "We're… going to your apartment?" Oishi couldn't help but squeak, just a little bit. He barely knew Oshitari and suddenly he was being treated to a view of the man's apartment? What if Oshitari was some sort of insane criminal?

"Of course. We're old friends aren't we Oishi?" And the glasses shined opaque in the expensive elevator and Oishi, momentarily blinded, finally put the puzzle pieces together.

"You played tennis." Oshitari swiftly moved out of the elevator as its doors dinged open. Holding Oishi by the wrist, he led the other towards a simple wooden door with silver digits on it. "For Hyotei." Oshitari pressed a key into the lock, turning and opening the door and stepping aside for Oishi to precede him inside. "Doubles." Oishi stepped onto plush carpeting and felt like he had shrunk a few inches. It wasn't possible for the floor inside to be lower then the hallway.

"And you played doubles for Seigaku." Oshitari swung his apartment door closed, the sound of the lock overpowered by Oishi's thundering heartbeat. Oshitari's eyes were cool, but burning hot at the same time as he stalked forwards. Oishi fell out of his shoes and moved backwards, but every step he took back was matched by Oshitari's feline stride.

"We. We never played each other." Oishi fell backwards over the arm of Oshitari's leather couch.

"We're playing now." Purring Oshitari set his glasses aside and captured Oishi's lips in a kiss.

That evening Oishi would backtrack their progress as he backtracked his clothes. Oshitari was gone; they had both been awoken from a sound nap by the tinny ringing of Oshitari's black pants. It was a call from Oshitari's father, or so Oishi believed, or maybe from one of Oshitari's teachers, or someone with a level of control of Oshitari. The other, after making sure Oishi was all right, had told him that Oishi could sleep if he wanted, and the kitchen was stocked if he was hungry, and had then rushed out the door in a whirl of expensive fabric and black hair. Oishi, after feeling horribly uncomfortable left alone in someone else's apartment, and naked in their bed, got up and made his way towards the shower first.

The water was hot, and the pressure steady, nothing like the water pressure at the tiny apartment house Oishi was sharing with a handful of other literature majors. Because he did not wish to put strain on his parents Oishi had moved out after the first year of university. Oshitari's towels were also warm, and very fluffy, and Oishi marveled in the luxury as he dried himself off. He blushed at the sight of a trail of hickeys down his chest, and hoped the collar of his black shirt would hide the one on his neck. Setting the towels on the towel rack, Oishi moved back to the bedroom. He should have grabbed his boxers before showering, but given as they were well hidden under the bed Oishi wasn't sure he would have put in the effort before the shower.

After his boxers, Oishi went in search of his pants, now wrinkled from spending a few hours lying by the bedroom door. Oishi's belt hung on the bedroom doorknob and Oishi fashioned it around his waist as he walked out of the room. His socks were located by the love seat, and Oishi blushed as he remembered how Oshitari had pinned him there while he slowly pulled the black socks off and how he had tickled the soles of Oishi's feet with fingers, and his breath, and finally his tongue. It had made Oishi laugh, and blush, and moan, and the sight of Oshitari licking his feet had nearly ruined Oishi's stamina.

Ears burning Oishi hastily pulled his socks on before searching for his shirt, Oshitari had removed it while they were making out on the couch… Digging within the couch cushions Oishi grinned triumphantly as he pulled the black fabric out.

"Ha." He grinned, pulling the shirt on over his head and then blinking as something hit his foot. Bending down Oishi found his blush returning in full force at the simple unmarked silver tube.

Oshitari kept lube in his couch. Just what did that mean?

Rubbing at his tingling ears Oishi quickly made his way to the exit, shoving his shoes on and making sure the door locked behind him. Just because Oshitari had left Oishi alone in his apartment didn't mean that Oishi should let a burgler get in there after him.

Oishi's cell phone had three messages on it when Oishi finally returned to his own apartment to check it. One was from Ran, hoping that Oishi's hand was better and making sure he did not need another day off, since Oishi had demonstrated to Oshitari how _un_injured his hand was Oishi called Ran back to tell her that was unneeded. Oishi had a feeling he'd lose his job if he took another day off anyway. The second message was from one of Oishi's study partners asking him if they could meet before the next test, and the third was from Chitose.

"So, did you get laid?" Chitose's voice was definitely eager and Oishi wondered what had possessed him to actually call the man back.

"…yes." Oishi tried not to sound like a recently debauched virgin, but he was afraid he failed miserably.

"Righteous! Man you've needed to get that cherry popped for a while." There was movement in the background and Chitose quieted, the volume of his voice now on a far more on a normal level and not like he was shouting across a room. Oishi was glad, it meant he didn't have to hold the phone three inches away from his ear. "Was he good? Looked rich."

"He was… it was…" Oishi's voice trembled a bit. "Well. I expected more." Not that Oshitari's performance hadn't been satisfactory…

"More? Dude, did he like, come to soon? Cause I have this friend who does that and he totally says it's because his lover's just too sexy." Oishi was pretty sure that by 'friend' Chitose meant himself.

Shaking his head Oishi laid down on his bed. He smelled like the expensive soap that Oshitari had kept in the soap dish, and his hair felt odd without his gel holding it down. Since Oishi wasn't going out he saw no need to reapply the gel once he got home. "No. No. He didn't…" Oishi drifted off. What had been wrong? It was something…. Something Oishi had needed. "I guess I just wanted to know my first lover." Expecting Chitose to mock him Oishi instinctively cringes. Instead of a cutting remark though there's a thoughtful silence.

Checking to make sure the call hadn't been dropped Oishi blinks. "Chitose?"

"Oh. Sorry. Was thinking." Chitose sounds half asleep now and Oishi worries about having called him so late. Maybe he shouldn't have. "Look. You have his apartment address right? Go see him again. I mean, I know what you mean about one-night stands – they suck. It's much nicer to have someone permanent." There's noise in the background. "Look, gotta go Oishi. See you tomorrow."

"Good night." Oishi said, even though he knew no one else was on the line. Hanging up Oishi plugged his phone into its charger and slowly got ready for bed. Go see Oshitari again? No. Oshitari had made no statements about continuing their relationship, and he had not left Oishi a phone number, or asked the other to stop by another time. It would be rude to show up unannounced and Oshitari probably would not be home if he did. Crawling under the covers of his futon Oishi nodded decisively. It would be best to simply pretend it had not happened.

So convinced that this was the proper course of action Oishi had continued through the rest of the week ignoring Chitose's subtle hints and Ran's blunt ones. Ran's hints were more about Oishi getting fired because he was not smiling enough at the customers though. Friday night, four days after the incident, Oishi entered the coffee shop to find Oshitari there.

"I know you didn't expect to see me again." And Oshitari's fingers twitch around empty air as Oishi pulls away. "But I'd like to see you again Oishi-kun, it would be nice to catch up on old times."

"Old times." Oishi pulls his apron on, tying the strings behind his back into a proper bow. "It's been a long time since middle school Oshitari-san."

"Not that long. We could play a game of tennis." Oshitari's glasses do that flash of light that always appeared sinister before and now looks naughty. "Or another game if you prefer."

"_Tennis_." Oishi stressed the word and feels like his cheeks are going to light on fire from all the heat pouring into them. "Tennis would be just fine Oshitari-san."

"Sure, sure." Oshitari picks up his drink, and slides Oishi his business card. In the corner Oshitari has scrawled his cell phone number and something tells me if Oishi flips the card he will find Oshitari's address and an invitation. "You free tomorrow?"

"In the afternoon." Oishi shifts nervously, Oshitari's presence blocks the cash register and Ran will probably appear soon to berate Oishi for not working, Chitose is still lingering as well, and Oishi is aware of his scrutiny. "I get off around two."

"I'll come by here then." Oshitari's smile twists up into a smirk again. "I find the services provided to be excellent."

Cheeks pink Oishi can't help but flail slightly as he recalls a few of the things Oshitari murmured in his ear Monday. Oshitari chuckles and takes a sip of his drink, licking frothy cream off his top lip in a way that makes Oishi want to flail all over again.

"Tomorrow. Oishi-kun." Oishi's shoulders slump as Oshitari walks out the door and he feels more relaxed, and definitely more himself, then he has in days.

"So. Not what you expected." Oishi can practically feel Chitose's grin, and he can certainly hear it.

"Stop doing that!" Oishi jumps, heart rate kicking up again. "Chitose-san you're going to send me into an early grave." Chitose's grin widens and he appears about to say something horribly perverse and Oishi can imagine a million and one things that Chitose can say that will make him blush and knows that Chitose will say the one that Oishi doesn't know about.

"Senri." The voice cuts through their interaction and Chitose's attention is instantly diverted from Oishi. "We're going to be late."

"Oh right, right." Chitose pats Oishi on the back. "Sorry Kippei."

"Someone permanent?" Oishi asks quietly, hopefully quietly enough for just Chitose to hear. Chitose grins and waggles his eyebrows.

"He's something like that." And then Chitose hops the counter, which makes Oishi's eyes widen and he reaches for his cloth to wipe up the handprint that Chitose has undoubtedly left, and wraps an arm around 'Kippei's' shoulders, grinning lazily as they walk out of the café. There's something familiar about the mole in the middle of Chitose's boyfriends forehead that makes Oishi's mind itch, but Oishi dismisses it. It might be nice, to have someone permanent, but Oishi won't get his hopes up.

Oishi decides to be thankful that he was not just a one-night stand.


End file.
